Key-cutting machine



R. R. HOLBROOK.

KEY CUTTING MACHINE.

nwucanou FILED Nov. 15, 1920.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET .R. R. HOLBHOOK.

KEY CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-15, I920.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a w w UNETEH STATES earner ROLFE RAY HOIABROOK, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 WI LLIAM. A. L'URIE, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

KEY-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 15, 1920. Serial No. 424,014.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RoLrn R. Honnnoon, a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of New Orleans, parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved machine for cutting or duplicating keys of the fiat type, bitted type, or other type, the object of the invention being to provide simple construction and arrangement which will permit keys to be readily out by various tools and in various directions without changing the position of the pattern key or the key to be out. My improved machine is shown on the accompanying drawings in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevational view,

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view with parts in section, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the key support ing structure and part of the key cutting mechanism.

A fiat base 5 supports intermediate its ends and at its rear edge the bearing frame 6 having the bearing extension arms 7 and 8 in which is journaled the shaft 9, the pulley 10 being secured on the shaft between the bearing arms to be driven by means of a belt 11. At one end the shaft has secured thereto the rectangular slot cutter 12 and at its other end, it has secured thereto the triangular slot cutter 13, the cutters being preferably detachably applied so that dif-' ferent kinds of cutters may be substituted. In front of the bearing frame and at the respective ends of the base 5 are the vertical lugs 14, 15 and 16, 17. Secured in the lugs 14 and 16 is the rail shaft 18 and in the lugs 15 and 17 is secured a similar shaft 19, the shafts being in a common horizontal plane and being parallel with the cutter shaft 9. Pins 20 may be provided for se curing the shafts in place. Saddle frames or riders 21 and 22 straddle the shafts18 and 19 respectively to slide longitudinally thereon, two such frames being shown on each shaft. The saddle frames on the re spective shafts are spaced apart, and secured at their ends in the respectivesaddle frames and extending crosswise of the shafts 18 and 19 are the rail shafts 23 and 24 which are secured in the saddle frames as by means of pins 25. The shafts 23 and 24 extend through the front and rear walls 26 and 27 which depend from the table 28, the table being thus reciprocable on the shaft at right angles to the shafts l8 and 19, while the table structure together with the cross shafts and the saddle frames is reciprocable longitudinally of the bed plate 5 on the shafts 18 and 19. On top of the table 28 is the base 29 which has the pivot stud 30 extending downwardly therefrom through the hole 30 in the table 28 so that the base 29 is ro tatable on the table. A barrel 31 receives the lower end of the stud 30 and contains a compression spring 32, this spring abutting against the head of the barrel and against the nut 33 engaging with the threaded lower end of the stud so that the barrel is held against the under side of the table 28 and the platform 29 held yieldingly down against the top of the table, the barrel extending downwardly between the cross shafts 23 and 24. A look lever 34 is pivoted at its upper end on the base 20 between the ears 35 and 36 and is adapted to engage between the lugs 37 and 38 extending from the wall 26 in order to lock the base 29 in normal position on the table 28.

Extending upwardly from the base 29 at *the center thereof is the pillar 39 having at its upper end and near the front edge thereof a key receiving slot or groove 40 which registers with a similar groove 41 formed in the cap 42 which is held in place on the pillar by means of a screw 43, the pattern key P being shown clamped between the cap and pillar. Guide screws 44 thread through the cap with their lower ends projecting into the pockets 45 which contain compression springs 46. The screws serve to aline the cap when it is applied and the springs serve toraise the cap as the clamping screw 43 is withdrawn so that a key may be readily inserted into position to be clamped or be removed.

In front of the pillar 39 is a lower pillar or step 47 which has the groove 48 along, its front edge which registers with the groove 49 in the cap 50 to receive a key K to be out. A screw 51 serves to clamp the cap against the step and guide screws 52 and springs 53 are provided for alining the cap andfor raising it when the screw 51 is loosened. The grooves may be of such shapeas to readily accommodate the cylindrical shanks'of bitted keys or to accommodate flat keys. I

Extending upwardly from the bed plate 5 behind and in alinement with the respective cutters are the-pedestals '54land 55 for supporting the guide fingers 56 and 5'1", 're

spectively, having their front ends 58 and 59 shaped in conformity with the cutters 12 ingsshow the pattern key P clamped on the pillar '39, the key being an ordinary house key comprising the shank a and the bit 7). On the step 47 is clamped the key K tobe cut,rthe keys being clamped "so'tha't their bits are in register. The pattern key has the rectangular slots 0 and therefore the cutter 12 will be used for cutting the keyK.

After a clamping of the keys in position,

7 theoperatorsets the finger 56 in the proper positiontobring its point 58 vertically above and in the plane ,of the cutter .12. The table or carriage" structure 28 is 'thenrshifted laterally on the shafts 18 and 19 to a position .which will bring one of the slotsof the pattern key in the plane of the cuttergand the carriage is then shifted rearwardly on the shafts 23 and 2 1 until a slot of the pattern key receives the point-58. The adjustment of the finger is such that immediately after its point receives one of the slots of the pattern key to thereby lock the carriage against longitudinal travel on the bed plate 5,"the cutter will engage with and cut thebit of the key K, and'as the carriage is fed rearwardly, a slot corresponding to that of the:

sa d carnage structure being rotatable whereby to bring the keys thereon into 'de- 110 7 pattern key is cut in the key K, further cutting being prevented when the point 58 of the guide finger reaches the base of the slot Iofthe pattern key. The perator then'withdraws the carriage and shifts it laterally to bring the finger point into registration any other shape of slot the proper cutter fisse'cured to the shaft 9.

As has been described, the top keysuppor'ting structure of the carriage structure is rotatable and held in normal position by" the lock lever 34. 'When th'elock lever is shown and described,

keys to be readily brought into desired angular position with reference to the cutter.

maysometimes be desirable to cut notches in the front edge of the bit of a key and the revolving structure is then rotated degrees one way or theother and the lock lever 75 '34 1s engaged between'the lockinglugs 62 or 63 on the opposite side of the table 28. The structure can also be rotated to intermediate positions forfinishing or special work andthe spring 32 will then serve to 0 hold the keysupporting structure sufiiciently rigid while cutting is going-on.

I thus provide a very simple, efficient and easily manipulated key cutting machine.

Changesand modifications can no doubt be 5 made which would still come within the scopeof my inventlon and I do'not therefore desire to be hunted-to preclsely what I hav I claim as follows: 1. In a machine of the-class porting structure and means for clamping a blank on sald'structure, said structure being rotatable whereby to adjust said blank at a desired angle with referenceto the cutter,

said structure being shiftable to carry the blank into engagement with said cutter.

2. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of a rotatable cutter, acarriage ,100

ciated with the cutter for engaging in the slots of the pattern keys to thereby guide the carriage structure to bring the key-blanks into proper cooperation with said cutter,

siredangles with reference to the cutter.

3. In a machineof the class described, the combination of a rotatable cutter, a carriage in front'ofsaid cutter, means for clamping a key blank on said carriage, and means whereby said carriage may be bodilyshi-ftedand 1 rotated whereby to bring said blank into "desired position with reference to saidcutter. 4. In a machine of the class'described,=the

combination of a bed plate, a shaft j ourna led on said bed plate, a cutter on said shaft, a

carriage shiftable longitudinally on said bed plate and'transversely thereon in front of said cutter, clamping mechanism --onfsa'id carriage forrec'eiving a pattern key and a blank key to be cut, 'a guide finger associated with "said cutter for engaging in the slots of the pattern key to thereby control the c'otiperetion cf thecut ter with the key blank,

said clamping -mecha;n=ism being-rotatable V described, the combination of a rotatable cutter, a key -supwhereby to adjust the position of said key with reference to said cutter.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotatable cutter, a key supporting structure, means for clamping a blank on said structure, said structure being rotatable and bodily shiftable whereby to adjust the blank with reference to said cutter, and means for locking said structure after rotational adjustment thereof.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotatable cutter, a carriage shiftable toward said cutter, a top on said carriage rotatable thereon, and means on said top for holding a key to be cut by said cutter.

7 In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotatable cutter, a carriage shiftable toward and away from said cutter, a top on said carriage, means on said top for supporting a blank to be out, said top being rotatable on said carriage whereby to adjust said blank at a desired angle with reference to the cutter, and means for locking said top after rotational adjustment thereof.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotatable cutter, a carriage shiftable toward and away from said cutter, a top on said carriage, means on said top for supporting a blank to be cut, said top being rotatable on said carriage, and yielding means frictionally holding said top on said carriage against rotation thereof.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotatable cutter, a carriage shiftable toward and away from said cutter, a top on said carriage, means on said top for clamping a blank to be cut, said top being rotatable on said carriage, and a spring for causing said top to be frictionally held on said carriage after a rotational adjustment thereof.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 3rd day of November, A. D.

ROLFE RAY I-IOLBROOK. 

